Why single-use plastics have been essential during the Covid-19 pandemic
In her latest editor comment, Laura Hughes looks at the key role single-use plastics have played during the global crisis.
For years manufacturers, researchers, and members of the general population, have been focusing their efforts on the need to recycle any plastics used within the medical sector. As a result, I think it’s fair to say that single-use plastics were painted in a negative light that implied the use of this material was sub-optimal. However, during the recent Covid-19 pandemic, single-use plastics have played an important role and one that deserves acknowledgement as a result of the bad press this material often receives.
During the pandemic, single-use plastics have been used for home delivery services, hand sanitiser bottles, and also by medical institutions who have been advised to double-bag clinical waste from any Covid-19 patients.
Cassie Bradley, sustainability and circular economy manager for INEOS Styrolution Americas, highlighted the advantages single-use plastics have provided during this crisis. She commented: “Single-use items reduce exposure by eliminating the need for personnel to collect, wash and disinfect everyday items as well as medical-specific ones.” Bradley added: “Plastic bags and packaging protect workers who allow us to do social distancing such as grocery and delivery workers, as well as those of us receiving deliveries. Most importantly during a crisis like this, single-use items allow frontline workers to focus on treating the sick and eradicating the virus instead of worrying about the cleanliness of the tools they use.”
Josh Blackmore, global healthcare manager for thermoplastic resins distributor M. Holland also expressed the importance of single-use plastics to tackle Covid-19: “There has been a huge spike in single-use disposable applications, which are driving a tight market as producers scramble to make masks, gowns, diagnostic test kits and other disposables.”
Single-use plastics have, however, always played a key role in the medical sector. The use of this material not only reduces infection risk in gloves used in surgery for example, but also ensures devices and drugs haven’t been tampered with through packaging with seals. The issues that exist around the use of this material are not because of a disagreement over the benefits it offers, but rather typically a concern over the effect of single-use plastics on our environment.
Of course, I think it’s fair to say that plastics waste problems are geographical. In the West the average per capita consumption of plastics is reportedly 60-90 kg, whereas in India this figure is thought to be as low as 10kg. Additionally, in India, plastic which is classed as ‘waste’ is often collected and used with virgin material to manufacture low-cost items.
It is also worth noting that even when plastic which is classed as ‘recyclable’ is used within the medical setting, issues often exist around how and where to recycle the plastic, and the costs associated with this to both the manufacturer and the user of the medical device.
Industry group, Plastic Recyclers Europe, has said that the effects of the pandemic could “render recycling unprofitable and hamper attainment of the EU recycling targets.” The European Plastics Converters (EuPC) also called for the European Commission and member states to postpone the implementation of the EU’s 2019 Single-Use Plastics (SUP) directive. However, the response from Commission executive vice president Frans Timmermans, was that the crisis should not be used as an excuse to “undo things that need to be done anyway.”
As everyone makes steps to recycle and live a greener lifestyle, it is natural to think that single-use plastics are not the right material for use within the medical sector anymore. However, what this pandemic has shown is that these materials do have an important role to play within the industry and therefore, maybe we need to acknowledge this and find better ways to treat these plastics following their use.